Midnight Wolf
by Tia Veran
Summary: Yu Narukami has just moved to the rural town of Inaba, hoping to join his uncle's werewolf pack. Juggling a new school, joining a new pack and getting a huge crush on the cute klutz who keeps crashing his bike is going to be tough, but Yu's certain he can handle it. Then the murders begin… YuxYosuke
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I really love reading shifter stories on my kindle lately, and I thought that it would be fun to mix werewolves with the characters from persona 4. I really hope you give the story a chance, and that you enjoy reading it!

Also, I'd like to warn everyone that this story will contain M/M romance and werewolves. I like to receive constructive criticism, but anyone complaining about either of those two things will ignored, because you _have_ been warned.

If, however, you like either of those things, please read and review!

Chapter 1

"I bet you don't have such bumpy roads in the city," Dojima said, glancing at his nephew in the rear view mirror. It was obvious that the man was a little uncomfortable around him, even without the werewolf ability to sense emotions.

"Not really, but the view isn't as nice," Yu answered, gaze returning to the grassy fields rolling past the window. It seemed like every human aspired to a life in the city, Yu's mother included, but Yu had been desperate to leave ever since he could remember. There was no way he could run in the city, enjoy the full moon like he wanted to, _needed_ to. A large wolf running lose through the streets would attract a rather unfortunate amount of attention.

"I bet you can't wait to go explore, huh?" Dojima said, like he knew what his nephew was thinking. "It's a shame you arrived when you did. The pack won't be going for a run for another two weeks. If you're careful, you can always go out on your own, though."

"Actually, I've never really done a full shift," Yu answered, blushing. "I mean, if I'm not careful my ears and tail show when I'm angry, or if I'm really relaxed, but I've never done anything more than that."

Nanako leaned around, peering at him from the front seat.

"I can do that, too," Nanako said solemnly. She had been so quiet and shy that Yu had almost forgotten she was there.

Suddenly she smiled. "My friends say it's really cute when they see my ears and tail! They say it's like Tokyo Mew Mew." For the first time since they'd met at the station, his little cousin looked happy.

"Nanako!" Dojima scolded. "I told you not to do that in front of anyone!"

Nanako muttered an apology, then sat back in her seat, suitably chastened. Her unhappiness was obvious, and Yu felt a little sorry for her. Still, he understood his uncle's concern. Werewolves weren't supposed to reveal their true nature to humans, and as alpha of his pack, Dojima was expected to uphold the rules rigidly.

"Still," Dojima said, "I forgot how little you've developed as a wolf. It must have been hard living in the city, with my big sister practically a human herself."

Yu's mother had been born into a strong werewolf family, but she had been unable to shift at all. It was unusual, but not unheard of. She had left Inaba for the big city when she was just out of her teens, marrying Yu's father shortly after. As a result, Yu had been born in the city, far away from all of his mother's family. He hadn't even met another werewolf until his uncle had picked him up only half an hour ago.

"You're from a powerful werewolf bloodline, Yu," Dojima continued, "so I'm certain shifting will be a breeze for you. Your mother might not have been a shifter herself, but she still carried the genes. However, if you're unsure what to do, then just wait for the full moon and we'll all go out together."

"No, we won't," Nanako mumbled. "I'm never allowed to go."

"Nanako… You're still too young to run with the pack," Dojima answered

"Mummy told me that you might take me out some night, just the two of us."

"Nanako, I'm too busy…" Dojima's awkwardness was almost tangible. Yu could tell that his uncle wasn't even comfortable talking to his own daughter.

"Nanako, when I'm comfortable with shifting, you can come along with me," Yu said, feeling sorry for her once again. He knew what it was like to feel lonely.

"Really?!" Nanako looked so excited, happy once more. She was adorable.

"Sure! I've always wanted a little sister," Yu said. He actually had never given the idea a thought, but Nanako's happy response made him glad he'd said it.

"Can I call you big bro then?" Nanako asked, almost shyly.

"Sure." It seemed like he'd already made one friend in Inaba, even if she was just a little kid. Still, it was already better that what he'd left behind in the city.

"It's getting late," Dojima said, seemingly happy about their little conversation. "You both have school tomorrow, so I want both of you to got to bed as soon as we get in."

Oh crap. He'd sort of forgotten about his new school. At least things couldn't go as badly in Inaba as they had back in the city. Even growing up isolated from other werewolves, Yu found it difficult to fit in with humans...

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"I heard there's going to be a new kid starting today," Chie said, looking pleased. "Do you think it'll be a guy or a girl?"

It was a lovely sunny day, and the walk to school was actually pretty nice. Yosuke had to admit that sometimes Inaba could be beautiful, even if it was the most bloody boring place to live.

"I bet you're hoping for a girl, huh, Yosuke?" Chie said, elbowing him in the side. He was starting to regret stopping. He'd been riding his bike when he'd seen the two girls and decided to walk with them, rolling his bike at his side.

"Yeah. Apart from Yukiko, the girls here aren't much to look at." Not that Yosuke actually cared to look. A good looking guy was more what he was hoping for. The city had been full of sexy guys, and nobody batted an eye at the sight of two men together. But this was the country, and the people here were less accepting. It was a pain in the ass, but as he hadn't even met a guy he was interested in, he guessed in didn't matter if he was living in the closet or not.

"I hope it's a girl, too," Yukiko mused. "It would be nice to have another girl to talk to."

"Ugh, Yukiko!" Chie groaned. "Why would you want _another_ girl? You've got me! And all the guys here are so boring!"

Yosuke had to agree. He didn't know how many more conversations he could listen to about farm work, fishing or hiking. What the hell was wrong with these crazy mountain people?

"If it's a guy, then you might finally get a boyfriend," Chie said, smiling at Yukiko.

"Hey, don't bet on it," Yosuke said. "I've seen the way she turns guys down flat. She doesn't even give the poor idiots a chance!"

"Well, she's so pretty!" Chie argued. "She's gotta have standards! Just 'cause you'd jump on anything with boobs!"

Yosuke shook his head, exasperated. How in the hell had he gotten such a playboy image anyway? All he'd done to hide his sexuality was ask Yukiko out, for appearances only, after he realised she shot all guys down immediately.

Yukiko was blushing, ducking her head. "I don't know what you're talking about, Chie. A guy's never even been interested in me before, anyway."

"God, you can be _so_ dense sometimes. What about that weird dude who said he'd only get into the hot springs at your place if you got in with him? Or that creep we caught hanging around the school who randomly called you 'Yuki'?" Chie said, exasperated. "Jeez, if I had your looks I'd string along _all_ the guys in the school."

"I thought you didn't like any of the guys at our school," Yosuke reminded, amused.

"Yeah, well, it would be fun having a bunch of guys doing anything I say… even if they are boring," Chie gave him a happy grin.

"You know, I remember having this conversation before," Yukiko mused.

"Huh? We talked about enslaving all the male students before?" Chie asked, confused.

"No, not that. I mean, I remember you saying you hoped the new student was a cute guy. Then when we found out he was from the city you said he had to be hot for sure, but in the end it turned out to be Yosuke."

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Yosuke asked, irritated. Chie was cackling with laughter now.

"I mean, what's wrong with me, anyway? Ugh, why do I even talk to you two," Yosuke muttered.

"Well, I mean, it's not so much your looks," Chie said, still smirking a little. "A lot of the girls actually thought you looked cool. But then you opened your mouth, and they all ran off screaming," Chie shook her head sadly, giggling again as Yosuke swatted at her.

"That's it," Yosuke grumbled, climbing on his bike, "I'm off. See you two bitches later."

"Yosuke, wait!" Chie cried as he cycled off. "I need to copy your math homework!"

"God, Chie, you really know how to make a guy feel loved!" Yosuke yelled. "If you - Oh, shit!"

The next thing he knew, he was lying on his back, somehow trapped between his bike and the trashcan he'd just collided with. Damn it! He should have been more careful. This was his fourth crash this month, after all.

Yosuke sat up, shoving his bike off of his lap. He pushed himself to his feet, freezing when he realised that he had an audience.

"Uh, are you alright?" the stranger asked. Yosuke eyed him as he tried to right his bike, figuring that this must be the student Chie had been chatting about.

_Oh God. _It seemed like both his wish and Chie's had come true; the new guy was _gorgeous_. And Yosuke had just made a total dick of himself in front of him. Typical. Yosuke felt himself blush in mortification, trying to brush the garbage from his trousers.

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine," Yosuke stammered, cursing himself for being such a klutz. Jesus, this guy was hot. He had the most stunning silver hair, and his pretty eyes matched perfectly. Yosuke hoped he'd get to know the guy better… a _lot _better.

"That's good," the stranger said, smiling almost shyly, cheeks pink, as though he'd somehow heard what Yosuke was thinking.

"Oh man!" Chie gasped as the two girls caught up. "That was friggin' hilarious!"

"Chie!" Yukiko chided. "Are you alright, Yosuke?"

"Um, yeah," Yosuke repeated, blushing even deeper as he glanced at the stranger again. The first good looking guy he met in this crap heap of a town, and he just _had_ to make a balls up of the thing.

"Ooh! So, you're the transfer dude?" Chie asked, finally noticing their audience.

"Heh, yeah, I guess so," the silver haired boy answered. "I'm Yu Narukami."

"Cool!" Chie replied, "I'm Chie Satonaka, that idiot is Yosuke Hanamura, and this is Yukiko Amagi."

"Nice to meet you," Yukiko said, bowing her head slightly.

"There's no need to be so formal," Yu said, smiling.

"I'm so glad we got to met you first! So, are you from the big city? And why'd you move here?" Chie asked, and the boy's silver eyes slid back to her.

"Yeah, I did move from the city," Yu answered, looking a little uncomfortable.

"What about the reason," Chie persisted. "Oh my God, is it something really bad?"

"Leave him alone, Chie," Yukiko scolded. "If we stand around here any longer we're going to be late."

"Yeah, that wouldn't exactly look good on your first day," Yosuke joked, totally unable to keep his eyes off of Yu as they all fell into step. Finally, his first crush in Inaba!

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Things were going _amazingly_ well. Yu had already made three friends, and homeroom hadn't even started yet.

He had never been able to make friends. Werewolves were pack animals, and Yu was a dominant wolf. Even when he was dealing with humans, his natural instinct was to force others to follow his lead, make them do what he told them to.

Also, just like a dog loved to be petted, physical contact was something all werewolves craved. Nothing scared off a potential friend faster than a bit of impromptu cuddling. And speaking of cuddling…

He had been able to feel the interest and attraction from Yosuke as clearly as if the other boy had just confessed to him outright. And the feeling was definitely mutual. Yosuke was so cute. Clumsy, pretty and outgoing… he was totally his type. Because of his rather wolfish secret, he would have to take things slow, but he was really hoping that something might come of it.

To make things even easier, they had been all picked their own seats, and he's ended up with the three students he'd met that morning.

This was one of the best days he'd had. Who would have thought it was possible to have fun at school?

"Who do we have as a homeroom teacher?" he asked, turning so he could see Yosuke, who sat beside him, and the girls, who sat behind them. The classroom itself was even quite quaint, fitting with the country setting.

"Ugh, don't even ask," Chie groaned, throwing her arms and head on the desk.

"We got King Moron," Yosuke lamented. "He'll treat you like shit, but he does that with everyone, so don't take it personally."

"Sounds… great," Yu replied. Still, he was feeling pretty good. Even a grumpy teacher couldn't ruin his good mood.

"Still, even with that old git as a teacher, I'm glad we're in the same class," Yosuke said. "I-I mean, it's just nice to meet another city kid, you know."

Yu smiled in response, but before he could say anything the classroom door rattled open, admitting a rather irritable looking man with buck teeth and a bad suit. King Moron, presumably.

The teacher made his way to the front of the classroom, peering at the students.

"Okay, so, where the hell is the new kid?"

Yu stared at the teacher in surprise, raising his hand tentatively.

"Well, what are you doing over there? Have you got no bloody manners? Get up here!" the teacher yelled.

Yu stood, looking at Yosuke. The other boy simply shrugged.

So this was how the jerk usually talked to his pupils.

When Yu was standing beside the front desk the man turned, giving him a particularly dirty look.

"So, if this hooligan had bothered his ass waiting for me to introduce him, like he _should_ have, you'd already know that his name is Yu Narukami. He's one of those _city boys_," he said the words as though he was talking about some sort of disgusting slug, "so I suppose that explains his bad manners."

Yu's dominant side was struggling to get out, to teach this asshole a lesson, and he ruthlessly suppressed the urge to shift. He could feel his ears and tail tingling, ready to grow.

"Aren't you supposed to introduce yourself first," Yu pointed out through clenched teeth.

"Hah! Bloody kid's trying to teach _me_ manners!" the teacher scoffed. "Fine. I'm your homeroom teacher, Mr. Morooka, and I won't take any of your crap, so don't even try it."

Yu rolled his eyes, still pissed off.

"Now, the bloody city schools are sending us all the riff raff that they can't be bothered with. Mr. Narukami here is one of those delinquents, so I better not see any of you talking to him," Mr. Morooka stated. "You can sit down now."

"Wait a minute!" Yu growled.

Oh, bloody hell, his wolf wanted nothing more than to rip this jerk's throat out. Yu tried to quell the anger rising within him, surprised at how quickly and thoroughly the teacher had managed to get under his skin. It wasn't just anyone who could rile him like this.

"Where do you get off saying that kind of crap?"

The class gave a collective gasp. It seemed that King Moron was used to getting his own way.

"I'll have you know, you little jerk, that I'm only going by the record sent to us by your last school! They kicked you out because you're nothing but a violent thug! Now, you better not test my patience any further! Sit down!" Morooka's chest was heaving with anger.

Face red with embarrassment, Yu finally did what he was told. His wolf was angry as hell that he'd backed down, but Mr. Morooka was right; he _had_ been suspended from his last school.

He had just met some really cool people, and he couldn't afford to lose this chance. As he sat down he glanced at Yosuke, hoping that the other boy would still talk to him, even though he'd just made an ass of himself.

"Sorry, man," Yosuke whispered. "Now you know why he's called King Moron."

"Did you really beat someone up?" Chie whispered, leaning forward to talk to him.

"Satonaka, shut up!" Morooka yelled, receiving a pissed off glare from Chie, saving Yu from any chance of a conversation.

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"Bet that was one of the longest days you've ever had, huh?" Yosuke asked once the day was finally over.

"I can't believe he was so horrible to you," Yukiko added. "He's always rude, but that was awful! He was just making that up, wasn't he?"

"Actually," Yu sighed, "I _was_ suspended from my last school. A group of guys were picking on this one kid, and I kind of… well… lost my temper."

God, he hoped they still talked to him after this. He knew he sounded like a bully or something, but his wolf nature had gotten the better of him. As a dominant wolf, he had a very strong urge to protect the weaker pack members from abuse, and that urge had simply overrode his good sense. He was glad to have helped one of his classmates, but he had to admit that sending four students to the hospital was a little much.

"Oh. In that case, it sounds like they deserved it," Yukiko answered, surprising the hell out of him. "I don't know what I'd do without Chie to protect me. She's like my knight in shining armour." Yukiko tucked a strand of her ebony hair behind her ear, smiling shyly at her best friend.

"Aw, don't mention it," Chie answered, looking uncharacteristically embarrassed.

Thank God. They weren't running in the opposite direction after all. In fact, they didn't seem to think any differently of him at all.

"Yes! I just remembered tomorrow's Saturday," Yosuke exclaimed. "You guys want to hang out at Junes after school? I think I can get you a discount on the steak, Chie."

"Count me in! What about you, Yukiko?"

"Okay. It sounds fun."

Then Yosuke's eyes were on him, hesitantly checking his reaction.

"I can make it too," Yu answered. Yosuke was so cute, and the faint hint of arousal he was getting from the other was only increasing his own attraction. He hoped he'd get a chance to see him without the girls around.

Yosuke's smile was relieved, and Yu kind of wanted to kiss him right there.

"It's a date!" Chie exclaimed happily.

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Yosuke let himself into his empty house with a sigh. He didn't even know why his parents called this place home. His father spent more time at his work apartment in the city than he did in Inaba, and his mother was always at Junes.

He kicked his shoes of at the door, shuffling into the kitchen to stick his dinner in the microwave. Being on his own all the time kind of sucked. Still, he mused, trying to find the silver lining, at least he got to watch anime on the big screen in the living room without bothering his parents.

He slouched in front of the TV, munching on his mac and cheese. He flipped to D gray-man, kind of zoning out as he ate. His mind kept sliding to Yu. He was so glad now that he crashed his stupid bike. Who knew if they'd have become friends so quickly otherwise? And not getting to know the only hot guy in school would be a tragedy.

Yosuke smiled dreamily. What was it Chie had called lunch tomorrow? A date? God, he hoped so. Hearing about Yu's background only made him sexier. He was like some anime hero, sticking up for those who needed it, no matter the consequences.

Yosuke shook his head, irritated at himself. He'd gone so long with out seeing a handsome guy that his thoughts were getting all fluffy and romantic. He put his bowl in the sink, returning to flop onto the sofa and laze about a little more.

After the D gray-man marathon was over, he flicked around. He heard the word 'Inaba' and stopped flicking. It wasn't often that the tiny town made the news, and there was nothing better on.

"-announcer, Ms. Yamano, was found dead just hours ago in the small town. Police are baffled at the attack."

Yosuke sat up a little straighter. A murder in Inaba? No way! _Nothing_ ever happened here. He focused on the show once again.

"Umm," a dazzled looking police officer started awkwardly, looking cornered by the camera, "you see, we found her body in the middle of a building, which very specifically does _not_ allow animals. However, it looked like she had been mauled to death, like some sort of big dog, maybe even bigger than our police dogs, had just torn her to shreds. But nobody saw any big animals in the area, and we still don't know what else could have caused the wounds."

Wow. That was pretty weird. Yosuke wondered what the hell had happened. He guessed everybody at school would be talking about this tomorrow.

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Okay, so I wasn't sure whether to put this fic in the T or M category. If you think I should change it please let me know!

Also, please review if you liked it! I promise there'll be more going on in future chapters.

Thank you for reading~


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Thank you so much to ShushIt, CometGlider007 and DREAMER1084 for their kind comments! Hope you like this chapter too! =3

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Chapter 2

The night was dark, the weak three day moon hidden behind a thick curtain of clouds, and Yu thanked the Lord for the lousy streetlights in Inaba. With any luck he'd make it back to the Dojima house without being seen.

He skulked in the shadows, belly low to the ground, ears flat against his head, tail tucked neatly between his legs. Almost there! Thank God all the neighbours seemed to be in for the night.

He edged furtively around the side of the wall, finally reaching the Dojima's garden. Thank the Lord! And curse himself for being so bloody stupid!

After making plans for tomorrow, the four friends had parted ways, heading home. Yosuke had given a cheerful wave as he left, and though he'd looked happy enough, Yu's wolf had sensed a faint hint of underlying sadness.

It hadn't been very strong, but Yu hadn't wanted to let Yosuke leave alone when he'd felt it. His wolf had urged him to protect the other boy, to keep him happy and safe. He'd suppressed the urge; it was things like that, stalking somebody he'd just met, that scared the humans away.

So, instead of trailing after the other boy like he wanted to, he headed along the main street. The sun was still shining, glinting off of the shop windows, and the occasional car's bonnet. It was way too nice of a day to simply go straight home. He'd decided to check out some of the shops, but there wasn't really much to look at. More shops seemed to be closed than actually functioning as businesses.

Apart from a few interesting finds in the book shop, which he'd bought and stashed in his schoolbag, he'd been sadly disappointed. There had only been one other place to catch his eye, a weird store with what looked like armour out the front. Yu wondered if it was some sort of Japanese tourist store, but doubted Inaba saw many visitors.

When he'd peered in the window he'd been met by an angry glare from the owner, who'd been standing behind the counter with his arms crossed. If he did go in there, and the guy keep glaring at him like that, his wolf would pick a fight for sure. He walked away, hoping to keep out of trouble. Maybe now he could understand why everyone enjoyed the city life. What _did _humans do in the country?

And now what was _he _supposed to do? There didn't seem to be anything. He supposed he could go look at the shrine or something…

He was just outside the torii gates when he realised that there _was_ something else he could do. There was nothing at all beyond the closed bike shop further down the street. Nothing, that was, but open, grassy hills. Beyond that he could see a thick row of trees, hopefully concealing a whole forest.

Yu felt his spine tingle in anticipation. It couldn't hurt to try shifting now, could it? His uncle had told him he was allowed to explore, and he hadn't said anything about confining his escapades to after dark. Yu started past Tatsumi textiles, mind racing.

Happy and excited, Yu dashed across the empty road, heading for the small clump of trees just on the other side. He shrugged out of his school bag, stashing it behind one of the trees, figuring nobody would want to steal it anyway. Then he'd headed further away from Inaba.

When he was finally out of sight from the town, he was so excited his ears and tail were just about ready to pop out on their own. He stopped, taking a deep breath. This couldn't be _too_ hard. After all, one of the biggest problems he'd suffered in the city was trying to keep his wolf _in_, not letting it out.

It only took one gentle, testing nudge, and his body was rippling, ready to go. Yu felt his chest swell with excitement, just before he landed on his stomach on the side of the dry, grassy hill.

Oops… He hadn't exactly meant to shift _just_ yet, there was something he had to do first, though he couldn't seem to remember what…

A full body shift felt so unusual, much different from anything he'd done before. Within seconds of hitting the ground, he was barely conscious, body wriggling and bulging. He was only vaguely aware when his arms and legs began to change, feeling as though he were suspended in some peculiar dream.

When he properly came to, it was to the hideous sensation of having his throat wrung and his chest and legs bound. Yu tried to rub his neck, bringing his hands up to… Oh shit! He'd forgotten he no longer had hands!

His large silver paws scrabbled frantically, catching on something. Furiously, Yu ripped the offending item from his aching throat, taking big gasps of clean, pure air. It seemed like he'd never get enough oxygen into his lungs.

He turned his strange new head to take a look at his attacker, ears back in trepidation… and almost died of mortification. Ripped white fabric lay scattered on the ground, all that remained of his school shirt collar. His trousers had just sort of slipped off when he'd started struggling, and vestiges of his shirt were still stubbornly clinging to his body, though it seemed most of the buttons had pinged off at some point.

Yu hung his large, angular head in shame. Even little Nanako probably knew that shifting in a full outfit was pretty stupid. How was he going to look his uncle in the eye after this? Had anyone else ever made such an embarrassing mistake? And, oh God, image if he'd died! Suffocated by his own uniform. What sort of a wolf was he?

Yu let a huff of air out through his new, wet nose. Sitting around feeling like a jackass wasn't achieving anything. He'd been waiting for this moment since he was a kid, dreaming of his first shift for _years. _Now that the time was here he'd be damned if it went to waste. Even if he was looking sort of ridiculous.

Tentatively, Yu stood, awkward on his four paws, slowly strolling off to explore. The ground felt so strange under his bare paws, and it was sort of difficult to get all his legs to do what he wanted them to. It was so weird.

At one point he'd come to a shallow river. It was only a few feet across, and so he'd decided to jump it. Unfortunately, his back legs had wanted to do their own thing, and he'd landed in the middle of the stream. The sensation of standing in the running water was actually a very pleasant one, and he wasn't in a hurry to get out.

After he'd gotten used to his knew body he'd had a blast. Just running, feeling the wind ripple trough his damp fur, was wonderful. His shirt cuffs had gotten constricting, until he'd stopped and ripped them off with his very impressive fangs. He'd also caught track of a few different scents in the trees beyond the hills he'd started on. He had stalked a little family of wild boars for a while, unable and unwilling to do anything other than watch the cute little creatures root around, when he caught another scent.

This one was different, sending his wolf senses big alarm bells. Yu was sure it belonged to some sort of predator, but his wolf was way too new to identify it. It had to be dangerous, though; his wolf wanted him to flee, not fight for dominance. Taking the worrying scent and quickly darkening sky as his cue, Yu turned tail and returned home…

Which had led to this sad moment; his sorry, muddy wolf trying to sneak back to the Dojima house unnoticed.

He headed to the back door, whining miserably, hoping that someone was still up. He suddenly realised he had absolutely no idea what time it was. He lifted his paw, scratching gently at the door as he let out a mournful woof.

Relief rolled off of him in waves when he heard the door unbolt. Nanako opened the door a fraction, but it was obviously still on the safety latch.

"Is that you, Big Bro?" she whispered carefully, peering through the tiny gap in the door.

All of a sudden Yu realised how cold it had gotten. He wanted desperately to get into the light silhouetting the little girl and slipping through the gap. He whined slowly, trying to nod his head awkwardly in answer to Nanako's question.

Nanako looked at him, sniffing the air cautiously, obviously checking for a familiar scent. Then her face broke into a smile, and she stood on tiptoe to unhook the safety latch. As soon as she had the door open Yu shot inside, the artificial light making everything seem strangely yellow.

Nanako gasped.

"Big Bro… What happened to your uniform?" she asked, surprised. Some rather tenacious rags still clung to his matted fur.

Yu snuffed irritably, unable to answer her with anything other than a growl or bark. He trotted off, head butting the bathroom door open and then closed behind him. After another few awkward minutes, he was standing in the shower, naked, tattered rags in the bin, soaping the mud off with enthusiasm.

When he left the bathroom, towel around his waist, he ran upstairs to throw on a comfy old pair of pyjamas before heading back so he could apologise to Nanako. He found her kneeling in the living room, two steaming cups of tea placed on the low table, TV on some kids' channel.

He sat down on the cushion, grabbing a cup of the sugary, milky tea. Nanako was an angel.

"I can't make coffee as good as daddy does," she said, "but I can make milk tea."

"It's delicious," Yu said honestly. "Thank you."

"Big Bro, why did you come home as a wolf?" Nanako asked, nibbling her thumb nail, seemingly shy again.

Yu contemplated responses in his head, before remembering that she'd be able to smell if he was lying. Damn it.

"I'm such an idiot, Nanako," Yu lamented. "I shifted for the first time today, but I forgot to take my uniform off. I ended up destroying it! And then I fell in a river! And _then_ I couldn't turn back into a human, or I'd have had to knock on the door in front of the neighbours, all muddy and naked."

Nanako stared at him silently, eyes wide, then burst into amused giggles. Yu found himself laughing too.

"Please don't tell your dad I was so silly," he said finally, glad he'd made her laugh. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Oh, that's right," Nanako said, sobering slightly. "He got called off to work again. I think something really bad happened."

"What do you mean? What does your dad do?" Yu asked. He'd never thought to ask yet.

"Daddy works with the police," Nanako said, sounding a little sad. "They always call him away, and make him do lots of stuff. And if it isn't them, it's the other wolves. Daddy's never home."

Wow. Yu hadn't expected that. It was no wonder Dojima was never home. How the hell was the man juggling such huge and taxing responsibilities as being a police officer _and_ pack alpha. Still, it wasn't Nanako's fault her dad had bitten off more than he could chew.

"You're a pretty wolf, Big Bro," Nanako finally said. "Me and daddy are both brown wolves, but your silver fur is so lovely!" She was smiling again, Yu marvelled. How could she be so mature and selfless at her age?

He got up and walked around the table, sitting beside Nanako. She simply snuggled against him contentedly, and Yu chuckled when her ears and tail sprung out suddenly. They were the same chestnut colour of her hair.

Yu patted her head gently, giving her the contact that all wolves craved, scratching behind her ears. He wondered what she'd meant by 'something really bad happened', but he didn't want to bring it up again. He was sure if anything big happened he'd hear about it at school tomorrow anyway.

"I'm glad you're a wolf, too, Big Bro," Nanako mumbled happily, sounding a little drowsy. "It means I can change in front of you, and daddy can't get mad like usual."

"Your dad's just worried about you, Nanako," Yu assured her. "But your friends were right, your ears are adorable."

Her only response was a gentle snore. Yu smiled, checking the clock. It was almost 11:30. No wonder Nanako was so sleepy. He scooped her up gently, putting her to bed, before retiring to his own room. His first day in Inaba had been quite a day.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You better not have been bluffing about the steak, man," Chie warned cheerfully, flopping into one of the chairs surrounding their colourful, round table in the Junes food court.

"Calm down," Yosuke sighed, exasperated. "You'll get your steak. It's a new menu we're working on."

Hanging out at Junes could be good fun, but Yosuke was always waiting for somebody to try and put him to work. Still, it was sadly the best place to hang out in this sorry town. Sometimes Yosuke still longed for the city.

"Aww, seriously?" Chie moaned. "So, that's how it is. You're just using me as a guinea pig!"

"Yep," Yosuke agreed. He tried to get a glimpse of Yu without being too obvious. The guy was looking slightly tired, but otherwise just as good as Yosuke remembered him. They hadn't really had much chance to talk in class, and Yosuke was scared to stare too much in case his classmates caught him ogling another boy.

But damn! The guy was _sexy_. Yosuke was starting to wish he hadn't asked the girls along.

"This steak better be fantastic," Chie groused.

"Bet the girls at your last school were a lot nicer," Yosuke joked, looking at Yu.

Yu simply smiled in response, silver eyes looking into his. For some reason his gaze felt almost heavy, and Yosuke found himself getting hot.

"So, why did you show up late today?" Chie asked Yu, and both boys turned their gazes from each other reluctantly.

"I had to go get my bag before school," Yu answered, looking sheepish. "I was looking around in the book store yesterday and I left it behind."

"Really?" Chie asked. "I didn't really have you down as being such a scatterbrain. At least I've finally found someone as ditzy as me, huh, Yukiko?"

Yukiko stared at Chie slowly, looking a little out of it. She's been even more quiet and withdrawn today than Yosuke had ever seen her.

"What were you saying, Chie?" she asked.

"Yukiko… Are you sure you're okay? You're so pale today, and you keep spacing out on me. You must be getting sick."

"Oh, I'm fine, Chie. Really. It's just… did you see the news report last night… you know, the one about the announcer?" Yukiko asked, voice shaky and miserable.

"Yeah, I saw that," Yosuke said. "It was totally weird, huh?"

"I didn't see it," Yu added, "but everybody was talking about it in class today. She was murdered, right?"

"I dunno," Chie answered. "The police said she'd been all mauled, or something… Can you use a dog as a murder weapon?"

"That isn't even the point," Yosuke cut it. "If some guy had an animal kill her, how did he get the animal _to_ her in the first place. If it really happened in a public place, someone's bound to have seen it. I mean, it had to have been a pretty damn big dog to do that sort of damage."

"I doubt it was a dog," Yu mused.

"Then what do you think it was?" Chie asked.

"It _had_ to have been a werewolf," he said, voice serious, as though he were stating the obvious.

Yosuke looked at him, surprised. Yu was looking a little startled himself, like he'd said something he hadn't meant to.

"Are you trying to say werewolves are real? Nobody but a crazy person would believe that, dude," Yosuke finally answered. "It's a pretty lousy joke."

At Yosuke's words Chie's hand shot out, connecting with the back of Yu's head with a loud thwack.

"What the hell, Yu! A woman's dead! You shouldn't just sit there and make jokes!"

"I wasn't joking!" Yu grumbled, rubbing his head. "I just… I was just daydreaming or something, alright?"

"Fine," Chie said, looking slightly apologetic. "I'll let it slide this time."

"What do you mean you'll let it slide? You already hit me!"

Yosuke snorted at the pair of them. What the hell had Yu been thinking, though, to say something like that? Yosuke didn't think he'd said it as a joke, or to get a reaction. He'd looked like his mind was miles away, and he'd blurted something he hadn't meant to. So what the hell did _that_ mean?

"Uhh, Yukiko?" Chie asked, her concerned tone grasping Yosuke's attention immediately.

Yukiko was standing now, visibly trembling. Her skin was sickly pale, and her dark eyes were wide, looking down as though in fear.

"I'm sorry, I have to go home," she said, voice weak.

"Hey, I'll walk you back," Chie said, standing.

"No," Yukiko answered. "I just want to be on my own right now. I'll call you tomorrow, Chie."

And with that, Yukiko was off, arms wrapped around herself despite the mild weather, black hair fanning out behind her.

Chie sat back down, looking bemused.

"Do you think she's just worried about the whole murder thing?" Yosuke asked, startled at Yukiko's behaviour.

"I dunno," Chie answered. "Yukiko can be really sensitive sometimes, but I've _never_ seen her act like that…"

"I think you should call her tonight," Yu said, looking worried. "Just to make sure she's alright, you know."

"Yeah," Chie agreed. Everyone was quiet for a minute.

"Hey, it's the prince!" a cheerful voice said, snapping them out of their brooding.

Yosuke turned in his seat, seeing Saki, an upperclassman and work colleague, standing at their table. Yosuke smiled. Anyone else who called him that meant it as an insult, but he knew Saki didn't. She joked around sometimes, but she was actually quite sweet to him.

"Prince?" Yu asked, glancing at her.

"Huh? You didn't know?" Saki said, sounding surprised. "Little Yosuke here is heir to the Junes throne. His parents pretty much run this whole place."

Yosuke felt his cheeks heat. A lot of people were seriously angry at his family for their business venture, claiming that Junes was killing the local trade. Yosuke figured that if Junes hadn't opened then people would have just turned to online shopping or something. You couldn't expect people to be happy with so little variety, not in this day and age.

"Wow, I didn't know that," Yu mused. "My little cousin loves the advert for this place. She's even got me singing it. But I had no idea your family owned it."

Before Yosuke could think of something to say in response, another girl was approaching their table.

"Yosuke! Oh, thank God! Listen, I really need you to cover my shift today," she said hurriedly, already undoing her apron.

Yosuke sighed inwardly. This was the second time this week. He hated being a doormat, but the people in Inaba already hated him, so he usually ended up giving in when they asked him a favour. He knew deep down that covering shifts or being friendly wasn't going to change their hostility, but he still couldn't help caving, even if it did make him kind of spineless.

He didn't want to look like that today, though, not in front of Chie, and _definitely_ not in front of Yu.

"I can't, Momoko," Yosuke answered weakly. He was already on the verge of giving in, though, and they both knew it. Damn it.

"Oh, come on! Please! My boyfriend got off work early, and we _never_ get to spend any time together! Don't be so stingy!" She was wrapping a strand of her bleached hair around her fingers, obviously pissed, and Yosuke realised he'd lost again.

"Jeez, talk about pushy!" Saki said irritably.

Everyone looked at her in surprise.

"He said no, okay. He deserves time off, just like the rest of us," Saki stated firmly. "Now, what were you guys going to order?"

"I want the steak, the pork kebabs and some fries!" Chie started with relish, ignoring the other serving girl completely. After a particularly dirty glare at Saki, the girl moved off, retying her apron strings with a disgusted sigh.

"Heh, thanks Saki," Yosuke said, truly grateful.

"No problem," Saki smiled, patting his arm gently. "You remind me of my little brother, so I feel like watching out for you."

Yosuke felt his chest inflate, a warm feeling inside. He was honestly touched. He didn't have many people who cared about him. Even his parents were often too busy to be bothered with him. In reality, Chie and Yukiko were the only people he could count on. It was nice to think he could add Saki to that number.

He was surprised when he noticed Yu eyeing Saki carefully. What was that about? Then a horrible idea hit him…

What if Yu had a thing for Saki? Yosuke still hadn't any idea which way Yu swung, but he'd been hoping he might have a chance.

Saki took their orders, then swept off to get their food. She'd only been gone a second when Chie gave a pleased snicker.

"Way to go, Yosuke!" she cheered. "You're a lucky man. Your girlfriend really loves you!"

For some reason, Yu gave Yosuke an appraising look.

"That girl is your girlfriend?" Yu finally asked, sounding irritated.

Aw crap, he really _did _fancy Saki! Yosuke was sure the disappointment was going to kill him. It wasn't fair! The only good looking guy, and he was straight! Bloody typical…

Chie laughed. "He wishes! I was just kidding. She's just some chick he's always mooning over."

"She's just a good friend," Yosuke said, wondering what was going on in Yu's head now.

It wasn't long before Saki was back with their food and drinks. Yu's eyes trailed her the whole time. Yosuke wasn't sure his heart could sink any lower.

XXX

It was starting to get late. The three of them had sat around chatting for a while now, and the air was starting to get pretty cool. Yosuke got up, grabbing his jacket.

It was probably childish, but he was feeling pretty damn miserable right now. Somehow, he'd gotten himself all worked up about Yu, even though they'd only met. It was his own damn fault for assuming, but he'd kind of thought Yu might like him back. Now he knew there was no chance, and all he had to look forward to was sitting alone in his empty house over the weekend. Fantastic.

"That was pretty good," Chie praised grudgingly, patting her belly as they got ready to go. "I gotta admit, I'm pleasantly surprised."

"As long as you're happy," Yosuke muttered, feeling a little bitchy. All the happiness he'd felt earlier at Saki's support had evaporated.

"God, what's up your ass?" Chie grumbled. "I'm going home."

She stalked off angrily, leaving him alone with Yu.

"Are you okay?" Yu asked, eyes boring into his.

Yosuke always tried to put on a show of being happy for his friends, not wanting to sound whiny, but something in Yu's gaze made him feel like being honest.

"It's just, my parents will both be working over the weekend," Yosuke said with a sigh. "I know it makes me sound lame, but it kind of sucks to be alone all the time."

Okay, that was only half of the truth, but it was still something, right?

When Yu still hadn't answered after a few seconds Yosuke felt himself flush with embarrassment. Jesus, why had he said that to the guy? He sounded like such a wuss.

"I know," Yu finally said, and Yosuke glanced at him, tension easing a little as he realised the other boy was serious.

"I hate being on my own too. So, umm, if you ever want to hang out, you can just call me," Yu was blushing, looking unsure of himself.

"Really?" Yosuke asked, unable to hold back a smile. He pulled his phone out, and the two exchanged numbers. Yosuke knew that this hadn't changed anything, that Yu could very well still be into Saki, but he was feeling better anyway. Yu had just admitted that he didn't like being alone either. Maybe…

"Hey, do you want to come back to my place tonight," Yosuke asked, face heating at how that sounded. "I mean, I've got some really good ps3 games, and I've got loads of kung-fu movies…"

"I can't," Yu answered, and Yosuke felt like a dick. Of course. Yu had just felt sorry for him, the offer wasn't genuine.

"My uncle might not be back yet, and my little cousin gets lonely too. But, uh, maybe tomorrow?"

"Sure!" Yosuke answered, cursing himself for his overeager response. "I mean, some games are more fun if you play as a two player, so I'll be looking forward to it." Jesus. He sounded more stupid the more he talked.

Yu just smiled, and the two headed out of Junes. Yosuke was glad they had a little way to walk before they went their separate ways. He might get to find out a little more about Yu.

"So, uh, do you like Saki?" Yosuke asked nonchalantly, trying to act like he didn't care about the answer.

"Uh, she's okay," Yu said cautiously.

They were out of the Junes grounds now, heading along the mostly empty Inaba roads.

"Aw, come on, man!" Yosuke said, trying for cheerful. "You don't have to pretend. You couldn't keep your eyes off of her. Maybe I could set the two of you up or something?" God, he hoped Yu didn't take him up on that offer.

"No," Yu said flatly. "Listen, I know that I shouldn't say anything, and that I'll probably sound like a jerk, but I don't think you should hang around her too much."

"What?" Yosuke asked, shocked and a little annoyed. "Is it because we're close? Are you jealous?"

"Of you or her?" Yu asked, eyebrow raised, a slight smile curving his lips.

"What?" Yosuke was kind of confused now.

Yu sighed. "Listen, Yosuke, that girl… well, I just don't think she's as nice as she seems."

"What are you talking about? She stood up for me back there."

"Yosuke, even when she's giving you that sweet smile… well, it's not genuine. I can sense frustration and resentment when she looks at you. I don't think she means you harm or anything, but I think she's using you for something. Maybe it's because of who your parents are," Yu said, looking thoughtful.

"How would you know?" Yosuke asked, getting seriously annoyed now. Was Yu trying to drive a wedge between him and Saki so that he could have her all to himself? Had Yosuke misjudged him so badly?

Yu sighed again, then stopped, turning around so he was staring directly into Yosuke's eyes.

"Listen, Yosuke, I knew you wouldn't understand, but I wanted you to know. I just, I notice things, how people are _really_ feeling. Saki is using you, and I hate people who do that, fake friendship for their own purposes. And she _is_. I _know _it."

Yosuke looked into those silver eyes, and could only see honesty in them. Somehow, he found himself believing him. Maybe he was just a sucker for a hot guy…

"Just like I know what _you_ feel… when you're looking at me like that…"

When had Yu gotten so close to him? Yosuke found himself almost intoxicated by the other's proximity. Did Yu really guess what was in Yosuke's head?

"And I want you to know, I feel like that too."

With that remark, Yu closed the gap between them, pressing his lips slowly against Yosuke's. The kiss was so soft, so gentle, but Yosuke felt it all the way to his toes. Heat flared through him at the contact. _Wow. _

Then Yu was pulling away, just as slowly. He gave Yosuke a small smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said, blushing almost shyly, then he was off.

Yosuke simply stood for a moment, almost dazed. Somehow, his lips were still warm from Yu's kiss. All he could think was… _wow._

XXXXXXXX

Thank you for reading!

If you like it, and if you have a minute, then please review. I really appreciate your comments!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hello again! Thank you for reviewing, I can't tell you how happy it makes me to read your kind comments! Hope you like this chapter, too!

I might change it to M for the next chapter, for violence and stuff. I'm not really sure what I can get away with in the Teen category. Also, I've decided to start using the Japanese suffixes, simply because it felt so strange having people call him 'Dojima' instead of 'Dojima-san.' I'm not an expert on Japanese suffixes, though, so feel free to point out any mistakes I've made. Also, it's pretty obvious I don't have a Beta, so I apologize if I've made any spelling or grammar mistakes.

Anyway, enough rambling! Here's chapter 3! :D

XXXXXXXX

Yu headed back home, unable to keep the smitten smile from his face. He honestly hadn't meant to kiss Yosuke, not so soon. He was supposed to be taking it slow, after all, not making a move after only two days. But he hadn't been able to stop himself. Besides, he was able to tell how Yosuke felt about him, so it was only fair that the other boy knew how he felt too. As for the actual kiss itself…

He'd never thought that such a small gesture could affect him so strongly, but even the little peck he'd given Yosuke had gotten him hot, tingling with excitement and a little desperate for more. He wondered if Yosuke had felt as strongly as he did. He certainly hoped so.

Thick clouds were gathering overhead, and the breeze began to pick up a little, gently ruffling Yu's silver hair. He barely noticed, still lost in the afterglow of his first kiss. He was getting pretty close to the Dojima house now, so he'd have to try and wipe the insanely happy grin off of his face. What was he going to tell Nanako when she asked why he was in such a good mood?

He almost didn't notice the two housewives who stood gossiping beside the house, until one of them beckoned him over with a shake of her hand.

"You're Dojima-san's nephew, aren't you?" the older of the two asked, tucking a tuft of her greying hair behind her headscarf.

"Yeah. Do you need him for something?" Yu asked. He sniffed, noticing that these two women were both humans; this couldn't be about pack business.

"Oh, not really. We were just saying that he's got a got bit of space there for a decent garden. Do you think he'd be interested in growing his own vegetables?"

Yu thought about his uncle, and how the man hadn't even managed to get home last night. If he didn't have time to sleep, then Yu was pretty sure he wouldn't have time to garden. Still, it might be a nice idea for Nanako, something fun to keep her busy with while she waited for her dad to come home. Yu smiled. He'd try to sort something out for her.

"It was just an idea," the housewife said, smiling. "That man's got such bags under his eyes! You tell him to grow some cucumbers; they're great for your skin."

Yu nodded, heading for the house, leaving the two women, who were now discussing the size of the woman next door's melons. Still, their chattering had put the kiss with Yosuke out of his mind somewhat, so he was no longer radiating a lovey-dovey aura. Hopefully he'd avoid any awkward questions from either of the Dojimas now.

On his way to the house he spotted the space the two had been talking about, giving it a once over. He'd see what he could do, maybe the next time Nanako was out of the house. He wanted it to be a surprise.

When he reached the door he realised that Dojima's car was in the drive. His first thought was one of regret. If Dojima was home with Nanako then he could have gone back to Yosuke's place after all. He immediately cursed himself for being selfish. He'd see Yosuke tomorrow. He should be happy for little Nanako.

He knocked the door, waiting to be let in, and noticed a new, unfamiliar scent coming from the house. After his first shift all his wolf senses seemed to have improved in some way. He had always been able to sense if someone was near, but since his shift he could now tell the gender and approximate age of the person. It was a little exciting, and he couldn't help but wonder if they'd only get stronger as he continued to grow.

He guessed the person he could smell now was a man, between his and his uncle's age, and was looking forward to seeing how accurate his mental picture was.

"So, you've finally decided to come home. Where were you, anyway?" Dojima answered the door, looking tired and frustrated. He stepped aside so Yu could get in, and after Yu removed his shoes they both headed for the sitting area.

The man Yu's wolf had scented was sitting on one of the floor cushions, watching Yu with obvious curiosity. Immediately Yu realised he was another wolf, and cursed himself for not noticing earlier. Maybe his senses still needed a little fine tuning. Wondering who he was, Yu took a seat across from him, putting his schoolbag down by his side, while Dojima plopped himself down on the couch, lighting a cigarette.

"I was just hanging out at Junes with some friends," Yu said, in answer to his uncle's question. "Where's Nanako?"

"She's at her friend Hikari's house. I told her to spend the night," Dojima answered, inhaling a puff of smoke. If Yu's mother had seen her baby brother smoking inside the house she'd have probably smacked him on the back of the head, even if it _was_ his own place.

Yu frowned. Last night, during his chat with Nanako, it had been obvious that she missed spending time with her father. Why would Dojima send her away as soon as he got back? Poor Nanako.

"I just needed some time to talk to you, and I didn't want her here," Dojima said, looking regretful.

Okay… that sounded kind of ominous.

"Nanako told me you came home last night as a wolf. We need to ask you what you were doing."

Yu's gaze snapped to his uncle, then back to the stranger, who gave him a sort of apologetic smile.

"Uh, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Tohru Adachi, your uncle's partner," the dark haired young man started. "Um, his partner on the _police force_, that is," he clarified, shooting a sheepish look at Dojima. If the atmosphere hadn't been so heavy, Yu might have laughed at that.

They shook hands, Yu introducing himself as he looked the other man over. He seemed to be a rather submissive wolf, and Yu wondered what sort of policeman he was. He really couldn't see this guy chasing down hardened criminals. Then again, until the recent murder, he doubted Inaba even _had_ many hardened criminals.

"I'm also part of Dojima-san's pack. He said you might be joining us next full moon," Adachi chatted happily. "It should be fun having you on board. I've always thought we needed more dominant wolves in the pack. The way things are, Dojima-san has to handle things all by himself, and as a submissive wolf myself I'm not much use as a Beta. Oh, it's also great to see another young member, 'cause apart from me, and Nanako-chan, of course, everyone else is Dojima-san's age or older. Uh, not that that's a bad thing, of course," he finished, once again shooting a slightly worried glance in Dojima's direction.

"For God's sake, Adachi!" Dojima scowled. "Why are you sitting there nattering? You're supposed to be a witness to the interrogation, not the suspect's best friend!"

_Interrogation? Suspect? _What the hell was going on here?

"Oh, come on, Dojima-san. He's your nephew! You don't _really_ think he killed that woman, do you?"

"What?!" Yu yelled, jumping up from the cushion. "What the hell are you talking about? You think I _murdered _someone? Are you insane?" His heart was pumping, and his ears and tail began to itch, his fangs lengthening slightly. How the hell could his own family make such accusations? Yu was furious.

"Jesus, Adachi! Can't you keep your damn mouth shut for two bloody seconds?!" Dojima growled, standing, exhaling smoke through his nose as he turned to his nephew. "And you! Watch the way you talk to me!"

Before Yu realised it, Dojima was in his face. The force and dominance of the older man's anger was like a smack in the face. Yu snapped his mouth shut immediately, sitting down again. He'd never been outranked like that, but Dojima was an Alpha. His word was law, and Yu's wolf could do nothing but obey, whether he was a dominant wolf or not. Because Yu hadn't been socialized with other wolves it was a new, disturbing experience, one that taught him that he was, in no way, shape or form, in charge here.

Dojima let out an exasperated sigh, slumping back on to the sofa. Both Yu and Adachi sat with their heads bowed in deference to their Alpha.

Dojima shook a new cigarette out of the pack, lighting it as he stared at the two lower ranking wolves.

"You've got amazing potential, Yu," he finally stated.

Yu glanced up, meeting his uncle's gaze with surprise.

"See, that right there is pretty damn impressive. Most wolves, dominant or not, can't look their Alpha in the eyes after being reprimanded. You definitely have the makings of an Alpha yourself. I only just managed to get a handle on that situation."

Yu felt a strong surge of pride. Being praised by the Alpha felt so satisfying, especially as he'd just been forced to submit, bowing whether he wanted to or not, for the first time.

"Now, I _do_ have to question you about the murder, and what you were doing yesterday. I'd have to investigate any wolf who'd transformed during the murder," Dojima explained. "As I'm sure you guessed, the announcer _was_ murdered, even if we're not allowed to say it officially."

"Why not?" Yu found himself asking, receiving a raised eyebrow from Dojima and a startled glance from Adachi. Apparently, when a guy was in full blown Alpha mode, other wolves didn't question him.

After a quick glance at Dojima, Adachi answered the question.

"Well, the police haven't found any sign of human involvement, therefore it's still classified as an animal attack. But as we all know, it wasn't an animal. Me and Dojima were looking at the scene, and that was a werewolf attack _for sure_. Too bad the police don't recognise werewolves. Anyway, what that means is that me and Dojima have to work this case 'off the books', so to speak," Adachi finished, looking pleased at the prospect.

"Adachi…" Dojima sighed. "Anyway, that _is _the basic outline of what we're doing at the minute. I don't for one second think you killed her, but I wouldn't be doing my job as pack Alpha if I didn't question you just because you're my nephew. So, I have to ask you, why did you shift, and what were you doing yesterday? Oh, and Adachi is just here to make sure I'm not showing favouritism." Dojima frowned. "I guess I _am _sort of going easy on you… but only because I'm pretty sure your wolf isn't developed enough to lie to me."

"What?" Yu asked, confused. "If I lie to you, you'll just be able to tell, anyway. Why would I bother?"

"A _lot_ of wolves know how to mask their emotions from others," Dojima answered. "Enough that they can even fool other high ranking wolves. Even humans can develop the ability, if lying is their livelihood."

Huh. Yu hadn't known that. Unfortunately, there was still a great deal for him to learn about his own body and senses. Still, what Dojima had said soothed him; Dojima didn't think there was any possibility that he was the murderer, this was a mere formality.

"So, for the last time," Dojima started again, looking drained, "why did you shift yesterday, and what did you do?"

"I just shifted to see if I could do it, really," Yu answered.

"That was your very first shift?" Adachi asked curiously.

"Yep, there's still a lot my nephew needs to experience and learn. Anyway, it was obviously a success. What did you do after that?"

"Basically, I just went for a run around the hills and the woods, the ones past the shopping district."

"Any proof that's where you were?" Dojima asked.

"Uhh… I don't think so," Yu answered, thinking. "But I did sense something when I was there, some kind of predator. My wolf told me to back off, but I wasn't able to tell what it was."

"Oh! Dojima-san, a lot of the pack members have complained of that lately. None of them could tell what the creature was, either. All of them were submissive wolves, so I assumed that's why they backed off, but if it scared your nephew then it must be bad!"

"I wasn't scared," Yu answered, giving Adachi a cool look.

Dojima scratched the stubble on his chin with his thumb nail, apparently thinking their words over. "Hmm, if you could prove that's where you were, then you're obviously in the clear. Problem is, we don't have any proof of _when_ you were there."

"We figure the murder took place around 4:30." Adachi answered helpfully. "So probably just a bit after you left school."

"Oh, hey! I think I _have_ got proof!" Yu exclaimed happily, rooting around in his schoolbag. He'd forgotten about it until now, but he should have… there it was!

Yu brandished the little white slip, handing it to his uncle with a flourish.

"A receipt from the bookstore?" Dojima asked, scanning the paper strip. "The time of sale is right at the top. You've got the luck of the devil, Yu," he finally smiled. "You're off the hook."

Yu let out a silent huff of relief. Even if it was just a formality, it wasn't nice to be accused of murder.

"Let me see," Adachi said, reaching over. "4:23. Yup, no way you'd have been able to get to the Amagi Inn in time for the murder, no matter _which_ form you were in."

"Adachi!" Dojima growled. Yu could feel his hackles raise; his uncle was _pissed_. "What the hell have I told you about blurting things out? Think, then speak!"

"Wait…" Yu answered, finally catching on. "You don't mean _Yukiko's_ inn?" Was that why she'd looked so down when she'd left Junes earlier?

"Listen, we're trying not to expose the location too much. We don't want the media ruining one of Inaba's most historic Inns. So, try not to tell anyone," Adachi told him.

"Like you're one to talk…" Dojima muttered. "Anyway, you don't have to sit here getting the third degree from us old guys any longer. Off you go."

Yu grabbed his school bag, retiring to his bedroom as he mulled over what had just been said. So it really _was _a werewolf, he thought, gaze travelling the bare, unadorned walls of his new room.

And the location… Poor Yukiko. Humans were such fragile creatures, Yu knew, from the many incidences his mother had overworked herself, trying to support their tiny family. After a violent and totally unexplained death like that, Yukiko was bound to be terrified. A human girl like her would be helpless.

The Amagi Inn wasn't just a business place, either; it was their family's home. To have that space violated in such a way… It must have been awful. He didn't know Yukiko well enough to personally check up on her, but he hoped Chie would keep him updated. Who knew what a rogue werewolf might do next?

As he was laying out his futon his phone chirped loudly. Yu finished what he was doing, then took a look.

_Where and when do you want to meet up tomorrow? - Yosuke_

Yu read the message with a slight frown. It was kind of abrupt and to the point. He hardly expected Yosuke to declare his undying love after just one kiss, but he'd sort of been hoping for something a bit more personal.

Then a horrible thought hit him. What if he'd been too forward? There hadn't been anyone around, but he'd still technically kissed Yosuke in public. What if that had freaked Yosuke out? And speaking of out… Was Yosuke even ready to admit he was into guys? What if he'd just messed up? What if Yosuke only wanted to see him tomorrow so he could ask what the hell Yu had been thinking?

Yu typed out a response, hoping like hell that his worries were unfounded.

XXXXX

Yosuke had deliberated for a while, wondering what to write. Did he just write the basics, or did he try and put in something cute or funny? Having a boyfriend was sort of complicated. If that's what Yu was. Yosuke still wasn't sure.

Cursing himself for being a needy bastard, Yosuke waited for a response.

_What about Junes at two? I'll be busy in the morning._

_Sure. Looking forward to it _Yosuke typed back. He wondered if he was being too forward.

XXXXX

Yu arrived at Junes early, trying to shrug the tension out of his shoulders. He'd been working all morning to set up the garden for Nanako, and he was hoping to get it all done before she arrived home with her friend. At least Dojima was off today, leaving him thankfully free to see Yosuke. The second text had been warmer, so Yu figured that things were good between them.

Yu whipped out his phone, checking the time. 1:15. Wow, he hadn't meant to be _that_ early. Oh well, he supposed he could go and look for seeds for Nanako's new garden. It took him a while, but he eventually found the section he was looking for.

He poked through the packets, wondering what he should get. Should he get her flowers or vegetables? She'd probably think the flowers were pretty, but it would also give her a nice sense of accomplishment to grow fruit and vegetables, and be a fun way to get her eating healthy food. He finally settled on some of each, grabbing a pack of sunflower seeds, a pack of strawberries and some tomatoes.

He headed for the queue, pleased with what he'd found. He hoped Nanako liked his surprise. He was actually a little excited about starting the garden himself. He finally made his way up to the counter, surprised and pleased to see a familiar brunette manning the till.

"Hey Yosuke!" he said brightly, setting the packets down. The blush that spread across Yosuke's face was so cute, and went a long way to easing yesterday's worries.

"Hey. You're early," Yosuke said, looking flustered. Yu could feel the pleased glow radiating from him at his presence, and found himself smiling.

"I know," he answered. "I didn't mean to put you out." Yu couldn't help but notice the work outfit Yosuke was wearing. The apron had been tied tight, giving him a nice view of Yosuke's slim waist.

"It's no problem. I'm getting off in about ten minutes, actually, if you want to hang out now," Yosuke answered, almost stammering his response. Yu wasn't exactly trying to hide the fact that he was checking Yosuke out.

"Sure," Yu answered as Yosuke rung him up, bagging his things.

Yu lurked along the produce section, waiting for Yosuke to finish with a giddy feeling in his stomach. He wasn't sure what they were going to do today, but the emotions he could feel from Yosuke were all positive, so he was happy. The fact that he could sense Yosuke's genuine attraction, and his obvious gladness to see him made Yu feel almost dizzy with excitement. Was he really going to have an actually boyfriend at last, after wishing for so long?

It wasn't long before he sensed Yosuke approach, now minus the apron. "Sorry to keep you waiting," Yosuke said. "Do you mind if we make a getaway now, before someone ropes me into another shift?"

The two started for the Junes exit, chatting a little, gradually relaxing around each other again.

"Uh, have you ate yet?" Yosuke asked, after his stomach gave a particularly loud growl.

"Nope, I'm starving," Yu answered. Sorting out the garden had actually been hard work, and he had kind of forgotten about food whilst working on it. His stomach was reprimanding him for that now, though. "You want to stop by that Chinese place, Aiya? I saw it when I was in the shopping district the other day."

"Aiya's food is frickin' gorgeous, but the place is always packed on weekends. You wanna get a take out? We could eat it at my place."

It wasn't much later that they were sitting beside each other on the couch in Yosuke's living room, shovelling the delicious food into their mouths like their lives depended on it. Yosuke hadn't been kidding; the food from Aiya was _amazing_.

Yu marvelled at the size of Yosuke's TV. That thing was _huge._ He was enjoying watching the anime channel on it though.

"So," Yosuke finally said, setting his chopsticks down. "What was it you were doing this morning? Anything to do with the stuff you bought today?"

"Yeah," Yu told Yosuke about the garden he was thinking of starting for Nanako.

"That's really sweet, dude," Yosuke answered, and Yu could feel that he was being sincere, not mocking. "She's lucky to have you looking out for her. It sucks to be on your own at the best of times, but it's even worse for kids."

"Yeah, I know," Yu answered. He thought about Yosuke's admission yesterday, and decided to make one of his own. "You know, I didn't really have any friends back in the city. That's why I'm so grateful to you, Chie and Yukiko for accepting me so quickly. Plus, my dad died when I was a kid, and my mother was always working to make ends meet."

"Jesus, that's lousy," Yosuke answered. "I'm sorry about your dad. But I know what you mean about the friend thing. There were loads of guys I used to talk to back at the city, but I didn't really know any of them, you know? It wasn't until I moved here and met Chie and Yukiko that I realised what a real friend is. I was sort of hoping I could add Saki-senpai to that group, but not anymore. I don't need two faced people like her."

Yu could tell that Yosuke was still hurt over Saki. It meant a lot that Yosuke was willing to believe him, even though he must have sounded crazy to a human.

"Still," Yosuke continued, and Yu could feel a sort of embarrassed, aroused aura coming from the other. "I can't believe that a guy as hot as you didn't have anyone to hang out with."

Yu could tell that, despite Yosuke's outgoing personality, those words had been hard for him to say. He slid across the sofa, moving closer to Yosuke with a blush on his face. Yosuke was almost unbearably cute sometimes.

"It used to bother me," Yu said, "but it doesn't anymore."

"Huh? Why's that?"

"'Cause I got myself a cute boyfriend now," Yu said, giving up all pretences, slipping close enough that their shoulders were touching.

"Hah, you sure about that?" Yosuke answered, looking embarrassed and turned on at the same time.

"Yes," Yu answered, almost overwhelmed by a sudden surge of possessiveness. "You're _mine_."

He moved forwards, capturing Yosuke's lips with his own, hands moving to clasp Yosuke's upper arms. Without thinking about what he was doing, Yu pushed Yosuke down on to the sofa, spreading out on top of him. Yosuke's hands slid up his back, moving to rake through his hair, and Yu couldn't hold back a deep moan.

Yosuke took that opportunity to slide his warm, wet tongue into Yu's mouth, making Yu groan again. Yu pressed himself down, enjoying the warmth of Yosuke's body beneath him, and the heat of Yosuke's tongue slipping against his own. It was heaven. After a little while Yu's nature took over, and he began to truly dominate the kiss, devouring Yosuke's pretty, pink lips. They were both getting seriously hot, moaning and writhing against each other, when the shrill call of Yosuke's phone rang out, making them both jump.

Panting, lips swollen, eyes dark with arousal, Yosuke reluctantly pulled away. Yu sighed, a little frustrated. That had been… delicious. He didn't really want it to stop, but Yosuke was already up, grabbing his phone, finally stopping the irritating ringing.

"Chie? This better be good!" Yosuke answered, voice a little husky. "I was in the middle of something!"

Yu watched him, taking in Yosuke's adorably mussed, honey-coloured hair and slightly out of it expression. It felt so good knowing he was the one who put it there.

"Well, why are you telling me? Just, I don't know, go see her or something. So? Well, we'll see her at school tomorrow. Stop making a big deal out of nothing. Listen, I'll talk to you later." Yosuke hung up, dropping the phone on the coffee table with a dull thunk.

"Crap," Yosuke murmured, slumping down next to Yu. "That kinda killed the mood."

Yu just snuggled a little closer, his wolf needing the contact. "What was she talking about?"

"She just said that Yukiko sounded upset on the phone when she called, and that she didn't want to talk. I asked her what that had to do with me. I mean, chicks fight over nothing all the time, right? Why's she bothering _me_ with that stuff?"

"Is that all she said? That Yukiko sounded sad?" Yu asked, feeling worried.

"Yeah… Why?" Yosuke asked, snuggling back against Yu, head resting on his shoulder. Despite his worry, Yu felt a surge of happiness at his boyfriend's actions… His _boyfriend_. How had he got so lucky?

"I found out that the announcer lady was murdered in the Amagi Inn," Yu answered, running his fingers through Yosuke's silky hair. "I'm just worried about her. It must have been a shock."

"No way!" Yosuke exclaimed, sitting up and pulling away from Yu. Yu already missed the contact. Still, Yosuke had let him snuggle for longer than he'd thought a human would allow. "Now I feel like a jerk for being so rude to Chie."

"We should make sure she's okay when we see her tomorrow," Yu answered, standing with reluctance. "I guess for now I should head back. Nanako's bound to be home by now, and I want to give her her present before it gets too dull out."

"Oh, okay," Yosuke answered. He was trying to sound cheerful, but Yu's wolf heard the loneliness underneath. "I still can't believe I'm going out with the hottest guy in school," he said, smiling shyly. Yu wanted to kiss him again, but wasn't sure he'd be able to stop this time. _He_ was the lucky one; Yosuke was the best looking guy in school, in Yu's opinion.

"Would you want to help me and Nanako plant these?" Yu asked, hefting the Junes bag off of the squishy armchair he'd placed it on earlier.

"Sure!" Yosuke answered, smiling.

XXXXX

Yu's little cousin was adorable, even if she did seem a kind of frightened of him. Yosuke smiled at her, receiving a tentative smile in response.

"I've got a present for you, Nanako," Yu said, holding his hand out to the little girl.

"Wow! Really?" Nanako asked, eyes wide as she grasped her cousin's hand. "But it isn't my birthday."

"It doesn't need to be your birthday, Nanako-chan," Yosuke piped up. "Sometimes everyone just deserves a little treat." The smile she gave him was much more genuine now.

"Where is it, Big Bro?" she asked, looking excited.

"Me and Yosuke-kun will show you now," Yu answered, the three of them heading outside.

At first Nanako seemed a little puzzled, uncertain why she was being brought to the garden, but when her gift was explained to her she seemed almost giddy with happiness. The three of them began planting the seeds and shoots, Nanako patting the earth down with her little hands while he and Yu did the digging. It was actually a lot of fun.

Afterwards, he and Nanako made small wooden posts to label what was growing where.

"All done!" Nanako exclaimed, smiling brightly. Her hands were muddy, but she looked so happy. "When will they start to grow?"

"I think it'll take a while, Nanako-chan," Yosuke said, amused at her enthusiasm. When he was a kid his parents were always buying him the latest games and consoles. He doubted he'd have been as easily pleased as Nanako.

"Actually, I chose the sunflowers because they grow really quickly," Yu told her. "It shouldn't take more than a few days for them to sprout."

Nanako rushed off back into the house, claiming that she needed to tell her dad. He and Yu watched with amusement.

"Heh, she's so cute," Yosuke said. He'd never thought he would enjoy gardening with a little kid, but he was actually glad that both Yu and Nanako had invited him back to help some other time.

"Not as cute as you," Yu said, leaning in for a quick peck.

Yosuke leaned back in shock, even as his cheeks heated with happy amusement. "Idiot. What if your uncle had seen that?"

Yu just gave him another satisfied smile. Yosuke realised he was already smitten with the guy.

"You know, I still haven't taken you up on the offer of a two player game," Yu mused, pretending to look thoughtful while his silver eyes glittered with mirth. "Maybe I should stay over some night, and we could have some fun."

Yosuke felt his whole body heat at those words. Yu was a real tease sometimes.

"See you after school," Yosuke replied, leaving Yu's statement unanswered. He was pretty much glowing with happiness. The coolest guy in school… and he was Yosuke's boyfriend! He couldn't be happier.

XXXXX

Thank you for reading! Please review :D


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